Making bigger numbers of people materially much ‘richer’would, by itself, compound general ‘overshoot’.

Evidence:impact of the “new middle class”across ‘BRIC’ and such countries

Top:China, fighting for iPhones,

New luxury hotel in Gaza

Each person's environmental footprint has grown (2006 data) to a mean of 2.6 global hectares (gha) per person, yet the total biological capacity of the planet would allow only about 1.8 gha per person(www.footprintnetwork.org).

Those who consume way beyond their share, the rich over-consumers in every country, must massively reduce their footprints – but just as relevant is the ‘number of feet’.

Reducing over-consumption & overpopulation aretwo sides of the same coin.

Misconception:“Poverty produces population growth…

affluence is the best contraceptive”

Reality check

• Poverty can lead to more children

• But more children often leads tomore poverty and more personal oppression especially for women

Misconception:“Production for basic needs”

?Both run up similar bills in nature’s accounts

Misconception:“People are wealth creators”

Reality checkPeople are economic transformers

not wealth creators

Real ‘wealth of nations’:

• Physical space• Atmospheric balances• UV filtering• Purification of air• Potable water• Regulation of water cycle• Water storage• Photosynthesis• Fertile soil• Vegetative resources• Pollination• Mineral resources• Waste decomposition• Nutrient recycling• Stable climate• Checks & balances against extremes

‘Mother Earth’

Misconception:“We can afford a third…fourth… child”

Some More Misconceptions:

• “It’s only a small rate of growth”

• “Growth rates are falling”

• “The real problem is the birth dearth”

• ‘We’ in the rich west did ……so we have no right to stop ‘them’

One Last Misconception:“Population policies are draconian”

•The number of babies born globally in 2008 as the result of an unplanned pregnancy is equal to the population of Canada (then 33 million).•The number of unplanned pregnancies that ended in abortion is equal to the combined population of the states of New York and Ohio (41 million).• Add to that the number of unplanned pregnancies that ended in miscarriage and we have 86 million unplanned pregnancies that year: 41% of all pregnancies.

Reality check:Compulsory pregnancy really is coercion

What about China?"Because China has worked hard over the last 30 years, we have 400 million fewer people,” (Zhang Weiqing, Minister in charge of the National Population & Family Planning Commission)

•Would China’s prospects have been better or worse with that extra 400 million people?

•Would the policy have been necessary if population growth had been tackled earlier?